BC

I was unhappy with the on edge feel of the S2000 when I did track time at WS (well, SOW). It was not as stable as I remember the 928 being, which as I mentioned in a PM to Frayed, telegraphs its movement very very well. Instead of just dumping the S2000 thought I will install the larger wheels, wider tires, BSK (rear at least), and get an alignment and see how it goes. If it is still as jumpy in my opinion I will have to look back to the 928 for track duty. Somtimes I forget how important an alignment can be.

You ever driven a Z-06 Mooty?

BC

Its saddening that I am getting to an age (or maturity) where I DON'T think that driving a race car on the street is cool or a good thing to do. I'm looking forward (gasp) to trying out the "Drive a large tahoe with car on trailer" to the track. Just think - extra parts, tires, tools, a cooler with root beer and sandwiches.

mooty

yes, but no on track. too fast for me. i dont konw how to handle it.

BC

Interesting comments. Thanks.

frayed

Gary, update on the 360. Had it aligned and it is awesome. The factory alignment was pretty far off, less than half the toe-in in the rear, and the front was a bit off as well. Car tracks pretty true and the 'rear steer' or 'bumpsteer' feeling as the car loads into a corner is now gone.

Looks like my biggest complaint in the 360 is now alleviated.

eclou

Question is, how much did that cost you? Surely not the $69 at Firestone.

frayed

Well my buddy runs a peformance shop and has a state of the art alignment rack; I think it was $120 or thereabouts. Took a long time to get it aligned though. Camber requires shims and you have to drop the underbody panel to get at the goods.

eclou

Happy enough to pass on the GT3 now? I'm taking the turbos to TWS in early Dec

frayed

I think so. Tough call. The GT3 is cheaper, tougher, more hardcore, and track ready. But it'll scrape *everywhere* and you give up a lot in looks and sound. I'm not keen on tracking the Ferrari, so track duty requires me to keep the M3, making me stay with 4-cars (fcar, track car, daily, wife's car). PITA.

Did I tell you, that I'm running Alpha-N and we've cracked 300 rwhp in that car. Should be badass. It's still at Sunbelt for tuning.

BC

Interesting.

tdf360

Glad to hear it. In my experience, the alignment is worth looking at in both the Ferrari and Porsche worlds...they are frequently out of whack from the factory.

Gary

frayed

Thanks. Glad I did. I know my GT3 was sensitive to alignment, but even when it was out of whack, it didn't become the handful the 360 did. Maybe it's a mid-engine/low polar moment issue.

Anyway, I'm going to keep the Ferrari. I canceled my GT3 order yesterday afternoon.

ringmeister

Smart Man

FixedWing

Look at how Ferrari almost lost a customer and had to suffer bad publicity just because they failed to check the alignment properly before delivery. And how many people have come to this forum complaining about poor handling Porsches only be receive the same advice? Penny wise and pound foolish.

Stephen

singletrack1

I own the shop that did the alignment on Frayed's car. I have never had a car off the factory floor that was all in spec and within a tight tolerance needed for cars like these. This also applies to cars that were aligned by the dealer... Belive it or not, most dealers do not have the top of the line equipment either so their calibration and tolerances are questionable. We do alignments to .1 degrees in camber and .03 toe tolerance which is tighter than 99% of factory spec for most cars. We normally set it to the dead center of the spec.(it isn't as hard as some people make it out to be)

Regular calibration of the alignment equipment is critical.... Just ask your shop when their alignment heads and the rack was last calibrated...

Bill
Soulspeed.com